A natural gas leak has forced the evacuation of some homes in south Kennewick about 2:35 p.m. Wednesday afternoon.

Residents of about 10 homes were asked to evacuate for about an hour after a backhoe operator hit a gas line in a housing development under construction. The leak was stopped and no one was hurt.

Emergency crews are asking some residents to leave homes in the area of South Anderson Street, South Yelm Court and South Waverly Street just south of a new housing development off 45th Avenue, according to initial reports.

Cascade Natural Gas company crews have been called in to investigate the reported leak.